There's a skunk in the house.

Stupidly, I left the back door open for 5 minutes for my cat to come in. I hear a scratching sound and I go to the small service porch where the back door is, and there's a skunk sitting in the cat litter box. Right next to the box is a large plastic container where I keep the cat's dry food. The smell of that food must have attracted the skunk in. My cat was in the doorway staring at the skunk. I closed the door to the service porch, went outside and got my cat and brought him in. The skunk is still sitting in the litter box, but fortunately the back door is open, so he could get out if he wanted to. But I think the smell of the cat food is too enticing. I believe the container is snapped shut and also that it's too tall for him to reach the top. My cat is, of course, on pins and needles, dying to get in the room where the skunk is. No spraying or skunk smell at all so far.

Put some food outside to lure him away. I think they like eggs. They're nocturnal, so leave the porch light on and maybe he'll want to go outside where it's dark.

I had some "pub mix" (a mixture of pretzels, rice crackers, twisted things with a cheese powder coating, etc.) and I put a small handful of it on the back porch, probably only 3 feet from where the skunk is. But he's still cowering in a corner behind the container of cat food. I think he's afraid to move. I know the best thing is to leave it as it is and go to bed, but I'm a little unnerved by it too and I think my cat is going to keep me awake. If the skunk is still in there in the morning I will boil and egg and cut it up and put it out there. Anyway I appreciate your help!

He might not move as long as you are watching, so I guess it might be best to go to bed like you say. If there's places to hide on the porch, watch out in the morning for him and try to move food and water out of there. If you hear hissing, you're about to get sprayed.

Good luck.

I just took a sleeping pill, and I'll hope he's gone by the morning. I don't know how I can move the food container out while he's still there because it's right next to him. However I don't think he can actually open it. He must have been nibbling on stray pieces of cat food that were scattered on the floor around the container.

A similar thing happened a couple of years ago. One morning I opened the garage door and noticed that the bag of bird seed had fallen over. I walked over to pick it up, and suddenly there was motion inside it. I almost jumped out of my skin, of course. I saw the tail of a skunk sticking out of the bag. Of course I ran away and came back a couple hours later and the skunk was gone. I'm hoping that this will end in a similar fashion.

I thank you for your interest and I'll update you in the morning.

Just before going to bed, I peeked again. Mr. Skunk has vacated the premises. Apparently he didn't find our accomodations to his liking. He didn't even touch any of the crunchies I left for him on the back porch. I guess he won't be giving us a good review on yelp.

Nice little drama to share. Helped me pass the time, thanks. Now maybe I can go to sleep too.

In the morning please make sure he didn't actually hide somewhere on the porch instead of leaving, OK? I'd hate for you to get sprayed after all this. Nighty nite!

:hi:

You'll be able to tell if a skunk was in the house :evilgrin: :silly: :silly: :crazy: :crazy:

Our local skating rink played it all the time. :hi:

I hope one of the Olympic skaters will use it.

I'd laugh my ass off!!

including having them in the house

I haven't ever had one spray due to cats - they seem to get along fine, or ignore. A dog will make them spray every damn time.

Even so, make sure kitty has a rabies vac if it goes outside in skunk territory (or as long a skunks can get in LOL) as they are frequently infected.

they like meat and stinky foods (like canned cat food) FYI for the next time you want to try to lure one someplace.

Wow, I probably woulda freaked out and my dog as well and it would sprayed and stunk up everything, lol.

Very helpful info in here if I ever DO get one.

I did see a baby raccoon once. All these giant pine trees fell in a storm and when I went walking with my dog I saw it. It was SO perfect that it didn't even look real! so cute.

:+

I have never had one come into the house. My dog probably keeps them from doing that.

About a year ago, a skunk was near the bedroom window. I was trying to sleep in there. The skunk was there because he was eating some cat food that our outside cats had not finished. The dog started barking hysterically, and the skunk sprayed the side of the house.

The smell was so bad that I could not sleep in that bedroom for weeks.

If so, it probably lives in the house...

skank.

corridor nearby that runs a good distance up to undeveloped parkland, so lots of wildlife has safe space even though my neighborhood is developed and inside the city

I seem to remember baking soda and Febreeze on his fur helped the odor a great deal.